Aspiring moguls, budding entrepreneurs and future homemakers, alike, will enjoy this interesting and educational foray into the belly of NYC’s financial district. All work and no play? Not a chance! This sample itinerary will ensure a balanced fun budget!

Day
1

Central Park
A stroll through the Big Apple’s 843 acre back yard is a mainstay of any NYC experience; this familiar landmark is a comforting oasis in the heart of the bustling city, offering locals and visitors, alike, a refreshing escape from the frenzied crush of crowds and dizzying pace of life in the shadows of the skyscrapers. Among its myriad highlights are two ice skating rinks, a 90-acre area of natural woods, dozens of intricate bridges and arches, twenty-one playgrounds, one of the largest merry-go-rounds in the States, a small Zoo, a 106-acre reservoir encircled by a running track and a delightful heirloom rose garden. Central Park is wound about with scenic footpaths; birding and wildlife watching opportunities abound, and boat/kayak rentals can be secured at Loeb Boathouse. Carriage rides through Central Park are an enchanting tradition, and an array of open-air performance venues treat audiences to countless concerts and productions – the Shakespeare Festival each Summer is not to be missed!

Trump Tower Walk-Through
This magnificently designed and luxuriously appointed 68-story mixed-use building’s public spaces are resplendent in gorgeous pink and white Italian marble, and the five-level skylight-crowned atrium features a stunning 60-foot waterfall, a fabulous pedestrian bridge spanning the waterfall’s pool and houses a delightful selection of luxury retailers and fabulous eateries including the Gucci flagship store and renowned Trump Grill – affording discerning guests a world-class shopping and dining experience. Trump Tower, one of the most visited attractions in NYC, is the setting of the NBC television show The Apprentice and its tenants include The Donald, himself, Bruce Willis, a Saudi Prince, Beyonce and Jay-Z.

United Nations Tour
Informative, one-hour guided tours of the United Nations Headquarters offer student groups an exciting behind-the-scenes view of the Organization at work. You’ll visit the Security Council Chamber, the Trusteeship Council Chamber and the Economic and Social Council Chamber in the newly renovated Conference Building, and learn how the United Nations handles important issues such as disarmament and peace and security. You’ll also enjoy an incredible opportunity to interact with multilingual tour guides from 15 different countries fluent in a dozen languages!

Top of the Rock
For an unbelievable bird’s eye view of the City that Never Sleeps, head over to Rockefeller Center - NYC’s most famous landmark - step aboard the supersonic elevator and soar straight to the LED-lit “Top of the Rock” where you and your travel group will enjoy completely unobstructed, unmatched 360-degree views of Central Park and the iconic Big Apple skyline from three observation decks. Purchase a special Sun & Stars ticket and score Heavenly panoramas twice in one day – the view after dark is nothing short of spectacular!

Time Square
“The Crossroads of the World” is truly a sight to behold during daylight hours, but there’s nothing like the razzle dazzle magic of Times Square after dark! Its huge digital billboards, brilliant neon lights and show-stopping storefronts are just a few of the amazing sights, sounds, and attractions awaiting visitors opting for an after-dinner exploration of this world-famous intersection in the heart of the Theater District. Times Square, depicted time and again in popular cinema, is the home of the legendary New Year’s Eve Ball Drop, the Paramount Building, the Good Morning America show and so much more it sports another nickname: “Center of the Universe”!

Day
2

Statue of Liberty & Ellis Island
The Statue of Liberty was a generous gift to our Nation from the good people of France, and is one of the most recognized statues in the world. She stands 151 feet tall, unflinching and proud on Liberty Island in New York Harbor, a breathtaking monument to freedom and democracy around the globe. Statue Cruises provide wonderful tours, ferrying you and your group out to meet her, then on to landmark Ellis Island’s Immigration Museum – did your ancestors come to America through this National Gateway, once a pirate hanging ground? Here’s your chance to dig for “buried” treasure!

9/11 Memorial
Every New York City student travel itinerary should include a visit to this magnificent memorial, created to observe the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center September 11, 2001 and the devastating bombing on February 26, 1993. The National September 11 Memorial Museum serves as our country's principal institution concerned with exploring the implications of the events of 9/11, documenting the untold impact of those unspeakably tragic events, exploring 9/11's continuing significance and honoring the memory of those killed with a series of moving and relevant exhibitions. Portraits of more than 3000 9/11 victims are displayed on site and a portion of the “Survivors’ Stairs”- the stairwell by which hundreds escaped with their lives after the attacks - as well as remnants of the twin towers’ structural columns remain, haunting, sobering reminders of this horrific act.

Lower Manhattan Walking Tour
You’ve made it to Midtown; why not spend a little time checking out Lower Manhattan? This iconic center of business in NYC, the fourth largest business district in the Nation and the place American history started deserves a spot on every student group’s Big Apple agenda! It’s where the first US Congress assembled and produced the Bill of Rights and where President George Washington was sworn into office. It’s the home of Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange and it is here, sadly, where the unspeakable 9/11 tragedy occurred, and an important rebirth is underway. Two-hour walking tours depart from the famous Charging Bull Statue on Bowling Green; you’ll see Wall Street, Trinity Church, Ground Zero, Chinatown, Little Italy and a host of other landmark Lower Manhattan attractions.

Broadway Play
Put your heads together, decide what you’d like to see, get to the theatre - then sit back and enjoy the show! There’s truly nothing like catching a Broadway performance on one of the World’s greatest stages. With dozens of venues to choose from, there’s no excuse for you and your group to miss out on this fabulous, time-honored tradition! P.S.: Don’t forget to wait by the stage door for autographs.

Day
3

Federal Reserve Bank Museum and Gold Tour
This incredible tour gets you inside the Federal Reserve Bank, where you’re plied with fascinating information about the role of “The Fed” and the wider Federal Reserve System in setting monetary policy, promoting financial stability, and serving communities to advance economic growth. You’ll also visit The Fed’s Gold Vault, located on the basement floor of the main office building. Installed during construction in the early 1920s, the vault provides account holders with a secure location to store monetary gold reserves; you won’t believe the massive security system in place to keep their treasure safe!

Wall Street Tour
Centuries ago, notorious financial hub Wall Street was declared NYC’s official slave market, and yes, there really was a wall – a wooden wall, built to keep out the British. Modern Wall Street is home to the New York Stock Exchange, which had its beginnings as a group of businessmen working away under a Buttonwood tree and today is the largest stock exchange in the world – as well as a host of other important landmarks. Groups exploring Wall Street will view the ornate 19th century Trinity Church, New York Stock Exchange, the Federal Hall National Memorial, the Financial District, the 70-story Trump Building and - if you’re lucky enough to get next to it - can have a travel companion snap your photo with the Charging Bull of Wall Street!

Museum of American Finance
No NYC financial expedition would be complete without a visit to the Museum of American Finance - the nation’s sole independent museum, with financial education at the heart of its mission. For more than 20 years, educators have accompanied their students to this institution on Wall Street to help them understand the impact of finance on their daily lives. The Museum’s grand mezzanine banking hall provides an ideal showcase for its permanent exhibits: “Money, A History,” “Entrepreneurs”, “The Financial Markets”, “Banking in America” and “The Alexander Hamilton Room”; now, through Spring, 2015, “The Fed at 100” brings to light the complex workings of our nation’s central bank on its centennial anniversary.